Systems and Methods for Advanced Energy Settlements, Network-Based Messaging, and Applications Supporting the Same

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for electric power messaging and settlements including advanced energy settlements, messaging, and applications for electric power supply, load, and/or curtailment and data analytics associated with the same. Systems and methods for providing data analytics and customer or consumer guidance and controls are provided, and coupled with graphic user interfaces for interactive control and command of grid elements, design, specification, construction, management and financial settlement for data centers and/or microgrids, business and residential power consumption, control, management, messaging and settlements, mobile applications, websites, marketing offers, optimal pricing for comparable energy plans, retail electric provider and direct consumer alternatives, network of power architecture, EnergyNet applications, software development kit, and application web-based storefronts.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to and claims the benefit of the followingapplications. This application is a continuation of U.S. Pat.Application No. 17/237,714, filed Apr. 22, 2021, which is a continuationof U.S. Pat. Application No. 16/420,918, filed May 23, 2019 and issuedas U.S. Pat. No. 10,990,943, which is a continuation of U.S. Pat.Application No. 14/918,840, filed Oct. 21, 2015 and issued as U.S. Pat.No. 10,311,416, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Pat.Application No. 62/067,180 filed Oct. 22, 2014, each of which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to electric power messaging andsettlements, and more particularly, to advanced energy settlements,messaging, and applications for electric power supply, load, and/orcurtailment and data analytics associated with the same.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Generally, it is known in the prior art to provide electric powersystems management including financial settlements and messaging.However, limited information is available to electric power consumersregarding their past, present, and future projected use of power withsufficient details to make informed choices about types of power supplyand pricing alternatives. Furthermore, retail electric providers (REPs)in prior art systems and methods have no access to data and analytics toprovide optimal pricing for power supply to business and/or residentialelectricity customers, and do not have the ability to provide advancedenergy settlements to provide the lowest pricing for power supplied atpredetermined times, due at least in part to costs associated withobtaining power agreements without visibility to the data and analyticsthat provides reduced risk of capital and performance associated withthe supply and demand sides.

Examples of prior art documents include the following:

U.S. Pat. No. 6978931 for Energy credit card system by inventor Brobeckissued Dec. 27, 2005 describes a method of providing an energy creditsystem for providing redeemable energy or mass transit credits toconsumers who contribute power to a shared electric power grid, whereinat least some of the consumers have their own local renewable energysource connected to the power grid including the steps of measuring theexcess power generated by each consumer’s energy source that is fed intothe electric power grid, awarding energy credits to each of theconsumers in relation to the excess power contributed to the electricpower grid by the consumer, allowing each consumer receiving the energycredits to redeem them by acquiring fuel, power, or mass transit ticketsfrom a fuel or power provider or mass transit system, and requiring theoperator of the electric power grid to compensate the fuel for energyprovided or mass transit system in direct relation to the energy creditsredeemed by each consumer. Additionally, it claims recording the creditsat an energy brokerage house, requiring the operator of the power gridto compensate the brokerage house for the expenses generated by theconsumers, and allowing the brokerage house to retain as profit aportion of the compensation received from the operator of the powergrid. See also, U.S. Pat. Application Publication No. 20040206813.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,900,556 by Provanzana, and assigned on the face of thepatent to American Electric Power Company, Inc., for Power load-levelingsystem and packet electrical storage issued May 31, 2005, describing alarge-scale, capacitor-based electrical energy storage and distributionsystem capable of effectuating load-leveling during periods of peakdemand and a cost savings associated with the purchase of electricalenergy; and disclosing a method of storing and distributing electricalenergy to achieve a cost savings associated with the purchase thereofincluding the steps of providing a source of electrical energy,providing at least one electrical energy storage capacitor capable ofstoring a significant amount of energy, the capacitor in communicationwith the source, providing control equipment adapted to analyze andmonitor the real-time cost of purchasing electrical energy from thesource and to predict a future cost, supplying an amount of electricalenergy to the capacitor to charge it in response to a charge signal fromcontrol equipment, discharging at least a portion of the stored energyto a load, and repeating to maximize cost savings; also disclosingdeducting the value of the electrical energy sold back to the source forany costs of purchasing energy from the source. See also U.S. Pat.Application Pub. No. 20030160595.

U.S. Pat. Application Pub. No. 20090177548 for Cooperative environmentaland life benefit exchange system by Eisnlohr filed Jan. 09, 2009 andpublished Jul. 09, 2009 describing a cooperative environmental and lifebenefit system including a grid transmitting available energy, aplurality of rate payers using energy generated from available energysources, a plurality of utility companies providing the grid, aplurality of credits redeemable for acquiring one or more of a pluralityof life benefits, and an administrator overseeing a redemption process,wherein credits are accumulated by the rate payers based on either apredetermined amount of electrical energy purchased from or sold back tothe grid; further describing the redemption process wherein creditsaccumulated by the payers are redeemed at a redemption rate to provide aredemption value, which is remitted by the rate payers to satisfybenefit cost for acquiring the benefits, or portions thereof.

U.S. Pat. No. 7274975 for Optimized energy management system by Millerand assigned to Gridpoint, Inc., issued Sep. 25, 2007 describing methodsand systems for optimizing the control of energy supply and demand,including activating battery storage and alternative energy sources tosell energy to the power grid during favorable cost conditions,including method steps for allocating energy at a location where theelectrical energy is consumed, with computer-implemented steps of:determining a marginal cost for each of a plurality of energy sourcesavailable at the location, at least one of which is a non-grid source ofelectricity; determining a capacity of electrical energy available fromeach non-grid energy source; determining a demand for electrical energyat the location; dynamically allocating, in order of lowest marginalcost to highest marginal cost, electrical energy capacity from each ofthe plurality of energy sources to meet the demand; reducing demand atthe location by automatically deferring electrical consumption for adevice for which consumption can be deferred from a higher-cost timeperiod to a lower-cost time period, including the computer-implementedstep of issuing a command to the device to cause the deferral to occur,and further including determining projected marginal costs in each of aplurality of future time frames and deferring electrical consumption forthe device to one of the plurality of future time frames, whileconforming to an operational constraint for the device, the operationalconstraint for the device comprising a maximum time duration for whichthe device can be switched off; further including step of determining,on the basis of time-varying cost of grid-based electrical energy,whether it is cost-effective to sell electrical energy back to agrid-based source, and if so, automatically initiating such sale; andthe step of selling electrical energy from a battery to the grid-basedsource. See also U.S. Pat. Application Pub. Nos. 20110208365,20070276547, and 20060276938.

U.S. Pat. No. 7890436 for Billing and payment methods and systemsenabling consumer premises equipment by Kremen and assigned to CleanPower Finance, Inc. issued Feb. 15, 2011 and describes a variety ofsystems and methods enabling renewable energy consumer premisesequipment (CPE) such as dual metering techniques, and disclosingsupporting by increasing a likelihood of meeting financing obligations,a consumer purchasing, leasing, installing, and/or maintaining renewableenergy CPE for power generation at a consumer premises; coupling the CPEto a power grid operable to receive at least a portion of the powergenerated by the CPE, measuring power generated by the CPE and deliveredonto the power grid of a utility, and processing receivables from theutility associated with the power generated and delivered onto the powergrid directly to the lender at times corresponding to power measurementto fulfill the consumer’s obligation to repay the loan. See also U.S.Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 20080091625, 20080091581, 20080091626, 20080091590,20080091580.

Thus, there remains a need for improved information, controls, real-timeor near-real-time data on power consumption for electric power marketparticipants, REPs, customers, data centers, microgrid owners, andmessaging and management of financial settlement therefor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates electric power messaging and settlements,and more particularly, to advanced energy settlements, messaging, andapplications for electric power supply, load, and/or curtailment anddata analytics associated with the same. Systems and methods forproviding data analytics and customer or consumer guidance and controlsare provided, and coupled with graphic user interfaces for interactivecontrol and command of grid elements, design, specification,construction, management and financial settlement for data centersand/or microgrids, business and residential power consumption, control,management, messaging and settlements, mobile applications, websites,marketing offers, optimal pricing for comparable energy plans, retailelectric provider and direct consumer alternatives, network of powerarchitecture, EnergyNet applications, software development kit,application web-based storefronts, and combinations thereof.

The present invention provides for systems, methods, and graphic userinterface embodiments for providing electric power usage (past, current,and/or future projected) information, management, financial settlements,and messaging, and applications as described herein.

An advanced energy settlement platform is provided including at leastone server computer operable for communication over a network with amultiplicity of distributed computing devices. The advanced energysettlement platform aggregates consumption data from energy customersand aggregates revenue grade metrology data from distributed generatorsinto settlement blocks. The advanced energy settlement platform furtheraggregates and settles distributed energy charges with distributedgenerators for energy consumers during the billing period through aclearing house. The advanced energy settlement platform furtheraggregates and settles fixed energy changes with the energy retailer orretail energy provider for energy customers during the billing period.

These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the art after a reading of the following description ofthe preferred embodiment when considered with the drawings, as theysupport the claimed invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an electric power grid in the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a network of power with all the participants and theEnergyNet Platform in the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates EnergyNet features in the present invention.

FIG. 4A illustrates an embodiment of a network of microgrids integratedwith an EnergyNet platform.

FIG. 4B illustrates an embodiment of a microgrid integrated with anEnergyNet platform.

FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of a network of power microgridsintegrated with an EnergyNet platform.

FIG. 6 is a scheme diagram of Federated Microgrid Communities comprisingdifferent grid zones.

FIG. 7 illustrates a schematic diagram of an embodiment showing aconfiguration for a cloud-based computing system for user interface withthe systems of the present invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates method steps for providing advanced energysettlements (AES) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9A shows a schematic diagram illustrating a high-level AES systemarchitecture according to the present invention.

FIG. 9B shows a schematic diagram illustrating a high-level AES systemarchitecture according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary EnergyNetgateway according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a partial selection ofexemplary grid elements according to the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating components of the systemsand methods of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating components of the systemsand methods of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating a grid application model ofthe systems and methods of the present invention.

FIG. 15 shows a schematic diagram illustrating a high-level systemarchitecture for an EnergyNet embodiment according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 16 is a schematic and flow diagram illustrating AES sequencing.

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram illustrating AES evolution for thesystems and methods of the present invention.

FIG. 18 illustrates a graphic user interface screen shot for anembodiment of the present invention showing a distributed generationApp.

FIG. 19 illustrates a graphic user interface screen shot for oneembodiment of the present invention showing a microgrid control Appapplicable to data centers and/or microgrids.

FIG. 20 illustrates a graphic user interface screen shot for anembodiment of the present invention showing an AMI Head End App.

FIG. 21 illustrates a graphic user interface screen shot for anembodiment of the present invention showing an AES App.

FIG. 22 illustrates a graphic user interface screen shot for anEnergyNet application development kit for a datacenter example case.

FIG. 23 illustrates another GUI screen shot for a datacenter examplecase of FIG. 15 .

FIG. 24 illustrates another GUI screen shot for a datacenter examplecase with XML editing.

FIG. 25 illustrates another GUI screen shot for a datacenter examplecase with EnergyNet App dashboard view.

FIG. 26 illustrates another GUI screen shot for an EnergyNet App view.

FIG. 27 illustrates another GUI screen shot showing EnergyNet Appdashboard view for commercial building or facilities data.

FIG. 28 illustrates another GUI screen shot showing EnergyNet Appdashboard view for developing a profile for a building or facility.

FIG. 29 illustrates another GUI screen shot showing EnergyNet Appdashboard view for comparing buildings within a predetermined geographicarea.

FIG. 30 illustrates another GUI screen shot showing EnergyNet Appdashboard view for Apps associated with the profile and/or account inaddition to building profiles.

FIG. 31 illustrates another GUI screen shot showing EnergyNet Appdashboard view for automatically generated recommendations.

FIG. 32 illustrates another GUI screen shot showing EnergyNet Appdashboard view for service and product marketplace.

FIG. 33 illustrates another GUI screen shot showing EnergyNet Appdashboard view for at least one of the selected automatically generatedrecommendations.

FIG. 34 illustrates a graphic user interface screen shot for anembodiment of the present invention showing a Select a Billing Optioninteractive GUI.

FIG. 35 illustrates another GUI screen shot showing EnergyNet Appdashboard view for completing AES plan enrollment and showing RecommendUpgrades options for interactive selection.

FIG. 36 illustrates another GUI screen shot showing EnergyNet App viewfor an AES financial summary for a building.

FIG. 37 illustrates another GUI screen shot showing EnergyNet App viewfor an AES financial summary with additional information relating toFIG. 36 .

FIG. 38 illustrates another GUI screen shot showing EnergyNet Appdashboard view for REPs for AES participation.

FIG. 39 illustrates another GUI screen shot showing EnergyNet Appdashboard view for a featured App “Bills Near Me.”

FIG. 40 illustrate a GUI screen shots for a mobile smartphone App forelectric vehicle (EV) charging.

FIG. 41 illustrate another GUI screen shots for a mobile smartphone Appfor EV charging.

FIG. 42 illustrate another GUI screen shots for a mobile smartphone Appfor EV charging.

FIG. 43 illustrate another GUI screen shots for a mobile smartphone Appfor EV charging.

FIG. 44 provides a diagram of the functions of the advanced EnergyNetplatform in the present invention.

FIG. 45 is a screenshot for the EnergyNet Grid Element Photo Captureapplication.

FIG. 46 is another screenshot for the EnergyNet Grid Element PhotoCapture application.

FIG. 47 is another screenshot for the EnergyNet Grid Element PhotoCapture application.

FIG. 48 is another screenshot for the EnergyNet Grid Element PhotoCapture application.

FIG. 49 is another screenshot for the EnergyNet Grid Element PhotoCapture application.

FIG. 50 is another screenshot for the EnergyNet Grid Element PhotoCapture application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings in general, the illustrations are for thepurpose of describing preferred embodiment(s) of the invention at thistime, and are not intended to limit the invention thereto. Any and alltext associated with the figures as illustrated is hereby incorporatedby reference in this detailed description.

The present invention provides systems and methods for data analysis,messaging, advanced energy settlements, command and control andmanagement of electric power supply, demand, and/or curtailmentincluding graphic user interface for consumers, including consumerprofiles and alternative pricing programs and/or settlement programs forbusiness and residential applications, including but not limited tographic user interfaces for interactive control and command of gridelements, design, specification, construction, management and financialsettlement for data centers and/or microgrids, business and residentialpower consumption, control, management, messaging and settlements,mobile applications, websites, marketing offers, optimal pricing forcomparable energy plans, retail electric provider and direct consumeralternatives, network of power architecture, EnergyNet applications,software development kit, application web-based storefronts, andcombinations thereof. Apparatus embodiments are also provided inaccordance with the systems and methods described herein.

Furthermore, novel methods of the present invention provided forconsumer guidance and controls are coupled with graphic user interfacesfor mobile applications, websites, and computer displays that provideimproved information and controls for consumers for electric powerconsumption and management of financial settlement therefor.

In the description of the present invention, it will be understood thatall EnergyNet embodiments and AES systems and methods descriptionsinclude and incorporate by this reference without regard to individual,specific recitation for each example described, real-time and/ornear-real-time data, including revenue grade metrology or revenue grademetrology equivalent (RGME) as defined herein, used for AES financialsettlements. Additionally and similarly, real-time communication,messaging, and data packet transfer is provided over at least onenetwork associated with the advanced energy settlement platform of thesystems and methods of the present invention.

This detailed description of the present invention includes energyfinancial settlements and messaging and/or data packet transfer ortransmission, including the following issued patents, copendingapplication publications, and/or copending non-published applications bycommon inventor and/or assignee Causam Energy, Inc.: 8849715, 8583520,8595094, 8719125, 8706583, 8706584, 2014/0180884, 8775283, 8768799,2014/0279326, WO2014/066087, 2014/0039699, 2014/0277788, 2014/0039701,8588991, 8761952, 2014/0277786, 2014/0277787, WO2014/022596,2014/0039699, 8849715, 8983669, 14/885525, each of which is incorporatedby reference in its entirety herein.

FIG. 1 illustrates an overall electric power grid. Traditionally, it islargely One-Way Power Network from generation to transmission todistribution and consumption. The present invention reconstructs thetraditional market and enables new market participants, includingresidential customers, and commercial and industrial customers.Residential customers may have their own power generation system (forexample but not limited to rooftop solar systems) and their energystorage devices (for example but not limited to electric vehicles).Commercial and industrial buildings have smart meters installed.

FIG. 2 is a network of power with all the participants and the EnergyNetPlatform in the present invention. Different market participants areconnected to the network of power with specific Application programsfrom an electric app store over an EnergyNet platform. The EnergyNetplatform also provides advanced energy settlements for different marketparticipants.

FIG. 3 illustrates EnergyNet features in the present invention.EnergyNet is a secure and dynamic marketplace ecosystem enabling energyconsumers, distributed generators, utility service providers, equipmentproviders and application developers to participate in financial andelectrical service transactions. EnergyNet delivers an “app store,”real-time communications, real-time financial transactions and dataservices to all power grid participants. EnergyNet is a market platformecosystems with an “arm’s length” interface to existing OT and ITsystems. Real-time communication increases messaging andtelecommunications exchange speed among grid elements, existing griddeployments, and intelligent management systems. Advanced settlementsdeliver rapid payments to market participants and settle transactionswith energy markets in days instead of weeks; enables distributed energyresources to aggregate capacity, generation, or DR to the market level;and provides intelligent analysis including making decisions andforecasting based on high-velocity, revenue-grade data capture from gridelements, meters, generators, controls, and distribution networks.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams of a microgrid integration. There are twomicrogrids, Microgrid A and Microgrid B, electrically andcommunicatively integrated to a network of power. An EnergyNet platformis coupled to the network of power. A detailed structure of Microgrid Aand Microgrid B are illustrated in the two modules respectively. Thenetwork of power gathers metrology, settlement and contract managementdata from Microgrid A and Microgrid B. The EnergyNet platform has itsapplication stack including security, provisioning, auditing,visualization, analytics, rules, workflow, event management. TheEnergyNet platform provides consumer engagement.

FIG. 5 is another diagram of microgrid integration. There are twomicrogrids, Microgrid A and Microgrid B. Microgrid B is electrically andcommunicatively integrated to a network of power, and provides gridcontrol, demand response, real-time modeling, and data acquisition.Microgrid A is externally linked to a real-time modelling module. BothMicrogrid A and the real-time model module are connected to the networkof power for providing grid control, demand response, real-timemodeling, and data acquisition. The network of power provides gridelement profiles, models/topologies, kWh settlement, reporting, andthird party integration. The network of power is coupled with anEnergyNet platform, which provides consumer engagement.

FIG. 6 is a scheme diagram of Federated Microgrid Communities. Thesemicrogrid communities are located in different grid zones. Each of themicrogrid communities has a structure shown in FIG. 5 . There arecommunication links among different microgrid communities within a gridzone.

The present invention includes a multiplicity of interactive graphicuser interface (GUI) for all aspects of AES and/or EnergyNetembodiments. By way of example and not limitation, as illustrated in thefigures, at least one GUI is provided for electric power consumption forbusiness or commercial facilities, including information and/or controlswherein the GUI is provided for mobile applications, websites, terminaland/or computer displays, and combinations thereof. For mobileapplications, one embodiment includes a mobile communication computerdevice, such as a smartphone, tablet computer, or other mobile smartinteractive communications device (personal/wearable or portable),having an application including software operable on a processor coupledwith memory, wherein the mobile communication computer device isconstructed and configured for network-based communication within acloud-based computing system as illustrated in FIG. 7 .

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the inventionillustrating a computer system, generally described as 800, having anetwork 810 and a plurality of computing devices 820, 830, 840. In oneembodiment of the invention, the system 800 includes a cloud-basednetwork 810 for distributed communication via a wireless communicationantenna 812 and processing by a plurality of mobile communicationcomputing devices 830. In another embodiment of the invention, thesystem 800 is a virtualized computing system capable of executing any orall aspects of software and/or application components presented hereinon the computing devices 820, 830, 840. In certain aspects, the computersystem 800 may be implemented using hardware or a combination ofsoftware and hardware, either in a dedicated computing device, orintegrated into another entity, or distributed across multiple entitiesor computing devices.

By way of example, and not limitation, the computing devices 820, 830,840 are intended to represent various forms of digital computers andmobile devices, such as a server, blade server, mainframe, mobile phone,a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smart phone, a desktop computer, anetbook computer, a tablet computer, a workstation, a laptop, a wearablecomputing device, and other similar computing devices. The componentsshown here, their connections and relationships, and their functions,are meant to be exemplary only, and are not meant to limitimplementations of the invention described and/or claimed in thisdocument

In one embodiment, the computing device 820 includes components such asa processor 860, a system memory 862 having a random access memory (RAM)864 and a read-only memory (ROM) 866, and a system bus 868 that couplesthe memory 862 to the processor 860. In another embodiment, thecomputing device 830 may additionally include components such as astorage device 890 for storing the operating system 892 and one or moreapplication programs 894, a network interface unit 896, and/or aninput/output controller 898. Each of the components may be coupled toeach other through at least one bus 868. The input/output controller 898may receive and process input from, or provide output to, a number ofother devices 899, including, but not limited to, alphanumeric inputdevices, mice, electronic styluses, display units, touch screens, signalgeneration devices (e.g., speakers) or printers.

By way of example, and not limitation, the processor 860 may be ageneral-purpose microprocessor (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU)),a graphics processing unit (GPU), a microcontroller, a Digital SignalProcessor (DSP), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), aField Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a Programmable Logic Device (PLD),a controller, a state machine, gated or transistor logic, discretehardware components, or any other suitable entity or combinationsthereof that can perform calculations, process instructions forexecution, and/or other manipulations of information. Also included areembedded and open source program languages, machine language that can beexecuted at the coordinator, server, the end device, and combinationsthereof.

In another implementation, shown as 840 in FIG. 7 , multiple processors860 and/or multiple buses 868 may be used, as appropriate, along withmultiple memories 862 of multiple types (e.g., a combination of a DSPand a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or moremicroprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core).

Also, multiple computing devices may be connected, with each deviceproviding portions of the necessary operations (e.g., a server bank, agroup of blade servers, or a multi-processor system). Alternatively,some steps or methods may be performed by circuitry that is specific toa given function.

According to various embodiments, the computer system 800 may operate ina networked environment using logical connections to local and/or remotecomputing devices 820, 830, and 840 through a network 810. A computingdevice 830 may connect to a network 810 through a network interface unit896 connected to the bus 868. Computing devices may communicatecommunication media through wired networks, direct-wired connections orwirelessly such as acoustic, RF or infrared through an antenna 897 incommunication with the network antenna 812 and the network interfaceunit 896, which may include digital signal processing circuitry whennecessary. The network interface unit 896 may provide for communicationsunder various modes or protocols.

In one or more exemplary aspects, the instructions may be implemented inhardware, software, firmware, or any combinations thereof. A computerreadable medium may provide volatile or non-volatile storage for one ormore sets of instructions, such as operating systems, data structures,program modules, applications or other data embodying any one or more ofthe methodologies or functions described herein. The computer readablemedium may include the memory 862, the processor 860, and/or the storagemedia 890 and may be a single medium or multiple media (e.g., acentralized or distributed computer system) that store the one or moresets of instructions 900. Non-transitory computer readable mediaincludes all computer readable media, with the sole exception being atransitory, propagating signal per se. The instructions 900 may furtherbe transmitted or received over the network 810 via the networkinterface unit 896 as communication media, which may include a modulateddata signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism andincludes any delivery media, including modulation across the powerlines, modulated carrier signals along or across power lines,distribution or transmission subsystems, and combinations thereof. Theterm “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of itscharacteristics changed or set in a manner as to encode information inthe signal.

Storage devices 890 and memory 862 include, but are not limited to,volatile and non-volatile media such as cache, RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM,FLASH memory or other solid state memory technology, disks or discs(e.g., digital versatile disks (DVD), HD-DVD, BLU-RAY, compact disc(CD), CD-ROM, floppy disc) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes,magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices,or any other medium that can be used to store the computer readableinstructions and which can be accessed by the computer system 800.

It is also contemplated that the computer system 800 may not include allof the components shown in FIG. 7 , may include other components thatare not explicitly shown in FIG. 7 or may utilize an architecturecompletely different than that shown in FIG. 7 . The variousillustrative logical blocks, modules, elements, circuits, and algorithmsdescribed in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may beimplemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinationsof both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware andsoftware, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits,and steps have been described above generally in terms of theirfunctionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware orsoftware depends upon the particular application and design constraintsimposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement thedescribed functionality in varying ways for each particular application(e.g., arranged in a different order or partitioned in a different way),but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing adeparture from the scope of the present invention.

In one embodiment, the application (e.g., smartphone app) automaticallyprovides information via the GUI associated with the app to indicate tothe user (consumer) information about electric pricing planalternatives, including but not limited to their location, the price forelectric power supply on any per unit (data center, microgrid, building(commercial or residential), facility, device, grid element, andcombinations thereof) for a duration and/or at a predetermined time, andcombinations thereof. Also, preferably the app GUI provides additionalinformation including marketing and advertising information about anymerchants, products, and/or services associated with or related to theirprofile(s), power usage, activities within the system, and combinationsthereof. Also preferably, the app GUI provides an interactive interfaceallowing inputs to be received for generating at least one account andcorresponding profile, advanced energy settlements selections, etc. Inone embodiment of the present invention, the received inputs areassociated with a consumer or user profile that is stored on thesmartphone and/or in a database associated with a server computer and/orcloud-based computing system with at least one server computer and atleast one database having remote inputs and outputs via the data andcommunications network, preferably via secure access and/or securemessaging for authorized users associated with the at least one account.Data centers are interconnected to form a secure SaaS, localizedinterdependently operated subsystems are connected for autonomousoperations if disconnected from the SaaS or cloud-based system.Components must be virtualized through VMware, open source equivalent,etc. even if they are going into the same logical node and runningthrough same EMS or microgrid EMS or microgrid power management solution(MPMS). If a microgrid is 100 Watt or of regulated size, then it issubject to performance and liability regulations from FERC, NERC, ISO,governing entity, etc. Cloud-based system must be separated at or abovethat level.

In a virtualized or cloud-based computing system and methods of thepresent invention, the following components are provided as illustratedby way of example and not limitation to those described in FIG. 7 .Components of a cloud-based computing system and network for distributedcommunication therewith by mobile communication devices include but arenot limited to a system including a server computer with a processingunit. The server is constructed, configured and coupled to enablecommunication over a network. The server provides for userinterconnection with the server over the network using a remote computerdevice or a personal computer (PC) or smartphone, tablet computer, etc.positioned remotely from the server. Furthermore, the system is operablefor a multiplicity of remote personal computers or terminals forexample, in a client-server architecture, as shown. Alternatively, auser may interconnect through the network using a user device such as apersonal digital assistant (PDA), mobile communication device, such asby way of example and not limitation, a mobile phone, a cell phone,smart phone, tablet computer, laptop computer, netbook, a terminal, incar computer, or any other computing device suitable for networkconnection. Also, alternative architectures may be used instead of theclient/server architecture. For example, a computer communicationsnetwork, or other suitable architecture may be used. The network may bethe Internet, an intranet, or any other network suitable for searching,obtaining, and/or using information and/or communications. The system ofthe present invention further includes an operating system installed andrunning on the server, enabling server to communicate through network810 with the remote, distributed user devices. The operating system maybe any operating system known in the art that is suitable for networkcommunication.

FIG. 8 illustrates method steps for providing advanced energysettlements (AES) according to one embodiment of the present invention.A settlement AES process is outlined in six distinct steps as follows:Revenue grade settlement block data is used to underpin the settlementprocess for the billing period e.g. daily, weekly, monthly or predictand pay; Settlement block data is mapped to the appropriate distributedor fixed energy power purchase agreement in effect at that point intime; the cost or pricing of each settlement block inclusive of Time ofUse (TOU), demand, taxes, access fees and energy charges is calculated;a customer balance is summated from all the settlement blocks that applywithin the period is and automatically collected from the customer;Distributed energy charges billed in the cycle are aggregated bygenerator and settled through the clearing house for activities by thedistributed generators and/or at least one customer; Fixed energycharges billed in the cycle are aggregated and settled with the energyretailer or REP for the delivery of power by theTransmission/Distribution Service Provider (TDSP).

The EnergyNet data platform used with AES preferably provides and/or isoperable for real time revenue grade data ingress; store and organisepacket level information that can be used for forecasting, data mining,revenue extraction, event detection, sophisticated energy management andenterprise integration purposes; aggregate and store revenue data intorevenue grade settlement blocks (or Power Trading Blocks (PTBs));connect microgrid and spot market buyers and sellers; provide a fullyautomated and high latency industry leading settlement processunderpinned by a distributed settlement rules engine capable of settlingwith both distributed and fixed generator market participants; providean automated payment exchange which supports all advanced billing models(shared data plan, daily plan and predict & pay); payments should bemanaged as single energy bills for customers with EnergyNet responsiblefor settlement payments between multiple distributed energy generatorsand the customers existing energy retailer; provide a real time energypurchasing solution that matches the customers real energy consumptionagainst energy currently available within the microgrid or spot market;capture and transform market data that can provide intelligent analyticsby generators for trending, forecasting, planning and maximisingrevenue/investment opportunities; capture and transform energy data thatcan provide intelligent analytics for customers energy management,forecasting, procurement, profiling, bill optimization andrecommendation purposes; and integrate with the existing distributedenergy market exchange to allow EnergyNet buyers and sellers to connectand agree prices on distributed generation or curtailment, with revenuegrade metrology or with a revenue grade metrology equivalent (RGME) thatprovides data within less than about 10% variation from revenue grademetrology as required by the utility or governing entity for theelectric power grid management and settlement, wherein the RGME isprovided by a lower accuracy device and/or derived by data from thelower accuracy device combined with historical data or other complexrules and billing determinants, to generate the RGME that is approved oraccepted for financial settlement based upon contracts, digitalcontracts, or virtual contracts between and among at least two entitiesin connection with the financial settlement for those grid elementshaving RGME. For example RTU is a non-revenue grade device but is usedfor energy auditing, or as a starting point for disputing paymentswithin prior art systems for financial settlement and energy settlement.In the systems and methods of the present invention, RGME mechanismprovides data that the buyer and seller agree to accept for settlement,including financial and energy settlement for DER, load control,curtailment, and combinations, and including line losses. Forinterconnected devices, i.e., power supplying or power consuming devicesthat share the same interconnection for the electric power grid, theagreements between the parties provide for energy settlement and thecorresponding market-based financial settlement for the electric powergenerated or consumed, including RGME instead of traditional revenuegrade metrology as required by the utility or governing entity of theelectric power grid.

As illustrated in FIG. 14 , EnergyNet grid applications ensure that theEnergyNet framework is operable to support 1:n grid applications. Thirdparty infrastructure may provide Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA)integration with utility and/or market participant enterprise systems;provide SOA integration with general ledger and accounting systems;and/or provide SOA integration with the financial, banking and clearinginfrastructure, as needed.

FIGS. 9A and 9B show schematic diagrams illustrating a high-level AESsystem architecture according to the present invention. The principalactors and data flows depicted in FIGS. 9A and 9B and FIGS. 15 and 16are as follows for EnergyNet embodiments: Customers receive near realtime market connection data and price signals giving visibility togeneration as it becomes available in the market. This data is used byEnergyNet to facilitate intelligent energy purchasing and settlementbetween all market participants; Distributed generation availability inthe form of power purchase offerings is received from DistributedGenerators ensuring that intelligent energy purchasing decisions can beautomated or recommended within a real time market. Customers with ageneration capacity can also act as generators through EnergyNet if theyhave an exportable capacity; Payments received from the Customer Bankrepresent consolidated single payments to EnergyNet for energy suppliedfrom their existing Energy Retailer or from Distributed Generators;Settlements are apportioned across revenue grade TOU meter readings overa billing period and internal usage is measured through real time submetering technology at 1 second intervals and/or near-real-time orreal-time. Sub-metered entities are considered as follows: EnergyNetsupports the billing of sub-metered occupants allowing the EnergyNetcustomer to re-sell or cross charge energy using the sub metered meterreadings. The EnergyNet customer instance will allow these energy coststo be recovered against the enterprises total energy consumption.Distributed generation suppliers are included as follows: Marketparticipants publish power purchase offerings to EnergyNet customers.This data is used by EnergyNet to facilitate intelligent energypurchasing. Excess energy capacity can also be offered to the market bycustomers using EnergyNet. The distributed generator / generationsupplier participants receive settlements from the Distributed GeneratorBank or financial settlement entity (non-bank); distributed generatorreceives cleared settlements for all energy consumed within the billingtimelines specified in the distributed power purchase agreements ofEnergyNet customers. A clearinghouse receives all un cleared distributedenergy settlements made through EnergyNet’s, point of sale devices oradvanced billing methods before passing the cleared settlements to theGenerator Bank or financial settlement entity (non-bank entity).Customer Payments received from the Customer Bank represent consolidatedsingle payments for energy purchased on the both the distributed andfixed generation market. EnergyNet performs all settlement activitiesfor all participants behind the single bill; EnergyNet can also managethe payments for energy re-sold or cross charged by the customer. Thiscan be viewed and analysed against the imported energy bill. Thedistributed generator bank receives aggregated and cleared settlementsfrom the Clearinghouse for distributed energy that was consumed withineach power purchase agreement held by EnergyNet customers. An energyretailer or REP is included as follows in one EnergyNet embodiment:Customers can still consume energy supplied by fixed generators outsidethe spot energy or micro market and the portion of a customer’sconsumption that resides within their fixed generation power purchaseagreement will be settled with the retailer. The settlement algorithmsresolve this using settlement blocks, all power purchase agreements inplace and revenue grade meter reads. Purchasing within the spot marketrequires prices to be negotiated and agreed in seconds and theseactivities require integration with existing market trading systems. Agrowing customer base would allow EnergyNet to provide a completetrading market between users in the future. The purchasing rules enginecriteria allows generators respond to customer preferences and offer avariety of different tariffs as wells as alter their own behavior e.g.if they are a customer/generator can they shift their highest usage offpeak and export excess energy at peak periods when demand and prices arehigher.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary EnergyNetgateway according to the present invention. The EnergyNet gateway in thepresent invention connects different participants having differentnetwork protocols to the advanced energy settlement platform. Thedifferent participants comprises green communities, microgrid operators,building managers, market participants, and retail utilities. TheEnergyNet gateway is also used for peering interconnections. Differentcommunication protocols/standards supported by the EnergyNet gatewayinclude but not limited to LTE, 3G, 1GBps, VPN, IPSec, ModBus, DNP3,kWp, KYZ, JDBC, REST, WiFi, Zigbee, SEP, 1GBps, PLC, BLE. At locallevel, the EnergyNet gateway is operable for monitoring, controldetection, management, and reliability analysis. At network level, theEnergyNet gateway is operable for profiling response settlement andapplications recommendations.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a partial selection ofexemplary grid elements according to the present invention. The gridelements can be power transfer switches, wind meters, utility meters,battery discharge controllers, tenant sub meters, solar meters, powerdistribution units (PDUs), appliance switches, EV charging stations,distributed energy resources (DERs), transfer switches, EV batteries,inverters, controllable loads, weather stations, and HAVC environments.

FIGS. 12 and 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating components of thesystems and methods of the present invention. The systems of the presentinvention includes on premise physical instances, IP network, a Causamdata center, EnergyNet Content Storefront, and EnergyNet DistributionPartner, EnergyNet Market Interface, and Utility Infrastructure at theEnergy Supplier. The on premise physical instances such as EnergyNetgateway, carrier network card, VirtuWatt Red Lion, Paladin gateway arepresent at Ethernet meters, WiFi/Bluetooth thermostats, utility meters,solar inverter battery array, KYZ Pulse meters, MODBUS DNP3 Foreseer,for IP network connection. The Causam data center has a physical layerincludes EnergyNet Ingress for meter data management (MDM),provisioning, security and licensing, and EnergyNet Hadoop for analysis.The Causam data center further includes a cloud application layerproviding event detection, third party App instance, mobile and web userinterface, purchasing and settlements, monitoring, Service-OrientedArchitecture (SOA) and Software Development Kit (SDK) services,profiling trending analytics, modeling and forecasting, demand response,distributed generation management, virtual power plant (VPP), and outagemanagement. The EnergyNet Content Storefront provides third party Appreference, which has one-way communication to the third party Appinstance in the Causam data center for cloud Virtual Machine (VM), Appreplication, App review, and provision process. The EnergyNet ContentStorefront also provides shopping and marketing directed to consumer andgenerator. The EnergyNet Distribution Partner includes installers, HVACtechnicians, and financing institutions, which are referrals for networkfulfilment. The EnergyNet Market Interface connects with regulationagencies, for example ERCOT and other RTOs, for signaling and pricing.The Energy Supplier can be IOU, REP, and/or Municipal power agencies.The Utility Infrastructure at the Energy Supplier provides applications,such as VPP, Distribution Management System (DMS), and DER applications,and Utility Enterprise Infrastructure. The Utility EnterpriseInfrastructure communicates with the SOA and SDK services at the Causamdata center via IPSec and/or VPN for standard or customer SOAintegration. FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating a gridapplication model of the systems and methods of the present invention.The EnergyNet Grid Application Model includes aggregated market view,existing utility AMI, EnergyNet Data Platform, EnergyNet GridApplications, and Third Party Infrastructure. The Aggregated market Viewprovides information such as market level trends, traffic, line losses,and risk. The Existing Utility AMI includes multi-AMI for head endsystems, grid elements for sensing, grid elements for controlling,multi-devices/vendors, and multi-network. The EnergyNet Data Platformprovides API for data ingress, event detection, profiling andforecasting, analytics and intelligence, payments and settlements,recommendations. The multi-AMI for head end systems in the existingutility AMI provides marketing confirmation to data ingress on theEnergyNet Data Platform. The recommendations provided by the EnergyNetData Platform are marketing recommendations provided to multi-network inthe existing Utility AMI. EnergyNet Grid Applications include multiplegrid applications. For example, grid application 1 is for datapresentment, pre-payment, data collaborations, shopping carts forcommercial consumers, grid application 2 is for customer recruiting,behavior recommendations, bill optimization for retail electricprovider; grid application 3 is for point of sale, charging stations,merchant and marketing integration for electric vehicle network; gridapplication 4 is for financial routing instructions, point of saleterminals for REP to generator settlement, etc. Third PartyInfrastructure includes SOA for utility enterprise, consumerinformation, general ledger, accounting, billing, payment, banks,marketing, strategy, capitalization and investment.

FIG. 15 shows a schematic diagram illustrating a high-level systemarchitecture for an EnergyNet embodiment according to the presentinvention. This high-level system architecture includes a customerdeployable distributed EnergyNet Customer Instance providing customerswith a complete energy management, purchasing and settlement solutionwithin the microgrid and spot generation market for AES. FIG. 16 is aschematic and flow diagram illustrating AES sequencing; there are fourkey elements within the EnergyNet enterprise financial settlementproduct: data ingress, market participation, payments collection andadvanced energy settlements. Intelligent purchasing decisions requireadvanced smart metering and EnergyNet uses high speed IP meteringtechnology to build a complete and real time energy consumption profileaggregated from multiple sub-metering points. All consumption datawithin the enterprise forms settlement blocks, which are used to drivethe billing and settlement process. All metering data is aggregated toprovide a real time settlement block and total enterprise consumptionview with drill down. This data forms the basis for billing, settlement,forecasting, market view and other analytical transformations.Aggregation of multiple distributed nodes and/or microgrids into logicalnodes for interconnection with the utility or main power grid and forsettlement at those nodes is also provided. Note that EnergyNet can alsoutilise less dynamic data from legacy meters and head end systems wherea customer investment in conventional sub metering has already beenmade. Profiling is an important element for customers to forecast futureusage and committing to purchase offerings. Time of Use (TOU) and/ordemand profiles created from base data are an important tool forcustomers and generators alike; industry standard profiling techniquescan be used to create profiles. Generators can use profiles to pricetheir products and plan their generation activities. Customers can usethem to ensure they commit to the power purchase offerings that are bestaligned with their anticipated usage.

Buyers and sellers of electric power are connected within the microgridor spot market associated with AES of the present invention. Buyers canexpose their generated capacity to customers in near real time andcustomers can make intelligent purchasing decisions based uponactionable real time data. The Advanced Energy Settlement (AES) processperforms all billing, payment and settlement activities with financialand clearing participants. A configurable market purchasing rules engineranks and selects energy from the market based on customer preferencessuch as cost, payment preference, locality, how green the energy, marketsupply, consumption etc. and may recommend purchasing from one or moresuppliers. The suitability of the offering also depends on additionalfactors such as any minimum and maximum usage constraints which requiresdecisions to be made based upon forecasts derived using historical dataand profiling stored within EnergyNet.

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram illustrating AES evolution for thesystems and methods of the present invention. Comparing to legacysettlements, the advanced energy settlements in the present inventionhas an EnergyNet Platform communicates with a clearing house, which doesthe settlements between the generator bank and the consumer bank besidessimpler communications and less participants.

Certain Apps are provides for different participants in the advancedenergy settlement systems. These Apps are operable for command andcontrol, advanced settlement, monitoring and alarming, etc. via realtime communication.

FIG. 18 illustrates a graphic user interface screen shot for anembodiment of the present invention showing a distributed generationApp. The Distribution Generation App provides an overview of adistributed generator including a basic profile, curves for generatorpower and utility power, scales for generator voltage and utilityvoltage. The distribution generation App also provides details for thegenerator, maintenance and scheduling, log and notifications.

FIG. 19 illustrates a graphic user interface screen shot for oneembodiment of the present invention showing a microgrid control Appapplicable to data centers and/or microgrids. A one-line microgriddiagram is displayed with bus voltage information and branch power flowinformation.

FIG. 20 illustrates a graphic user interface screen shot for anembodiment of the present invention showing an AMI Head End App. The AMIHead End App is operable for deployment management and tariffadministration. The AMI Head End App is operable to operate metermanagement module and alarm propagation. The AMI Head End App providessmart data viewer and operational logs for monitoring distributed PVgeneration and/or wind farm.

FIG. 21 illustrates a graphic user interface screen shot for anembodiment of the present invention showing an AES App. The AES appprovides daily payment and clearing, bid/offer pairing between microgeneration and consumers, monitoring and alarming.

FIG. 22 illustrates a graphic user interface screen shot for anembodiment of the present invention showing an EnergyNet applicationdevelopment kit. Users can login the kit with a username and password.The EnergyNet Application Development Kit provides codes for browserconstruction and layout. The Kit provides connectivity for real timecommunication, command and control, payments and settlements, and thirdparty SOA services and Enterprises.

FIG. 23 illustrates another GUI screen shot for the embodiment of FIG.22 showing a datacenter example case. Several instruments can beutilized for developing the datacenter layout. FIG. 24 illustratesanother GUI screen shot for the embodiment of FIG. 22 showing adatacenter example case with XML editing. FIG. 25 illustrates anotherGUI screen shot for the embodiment of FIG. 22 showing a datacenterexample case with EnergyNet App dashboard view. FIG. 26 illustratesanother GUI screen shot for the embodiment of FIG. 22 showing anEnergyNet App view for real-time minute data.

FIG. 27 illustrates another GUI screen shot showing EnergyNet Appdashboard view for commercial building or facilities data over time,including historical, real-time, and projected future data for each ofat least one commercial building. FIG. 28 illustrates another GUI screenshot showing EnergyNet App dashboard view for commercial building orfacilities data associated with FIG. 27 for developing a profile for abuilding or facility. FIG. 29 illustrates another GUI screen shotshowing EnergyNet App dashboard view for commercial building orfacilities data associated with FIG. 27 for comparing buildings within apredetermined geographic area. FIG. 30 illustrates another GUI screenshot showing EnergyNet App dashboard view for commercial building orfacilities data associated with FIG. 27 for showing Apps associated withthe profile and/or account in addition to a tab for building profiles.FIG. 31 illustrates another GUI screen shot showing EnergyNet Appdashboard view for automatically generated recommendations for the userand/or account associated with FIG. 27 , including Apps and servicesofferings. FIG. 32 illustrates another GUI screen shot showing EnergyNetApp dashboard view for automatically generated recommendations for theuser and/or account associated with FIG. 27 , in addition to thoseillustrated in FIG. 31 . FIG. 32 also shows recommendations for serviceand product market place. FIG. 33 illustrates another GUI screen shotshowing EnergyNet App dashboard view for at least one of the selectedautomatically generated recommendations for the user and/or accountassociated with FIG. 32 , including automatically generated relatedoffers. FIG. 33 also shows electric vehicle turnkey installation as amarket officer from the recommendations.

EnergyNet is a one-stop or integrated platform and provides an automatedpayment exchange using advanced billing models which allow customers topay in a variety of ways, for example a shared data plan coupled with amonthly payment plan, a daily payment plan, and/or pre-payment plan witha remote disconnect option enabled. Single payments simplify access tothe distributed energy market and are automatically aggregated andsettled between the distributed and fixed generators via energyretailers. Prompt payment reduces the cost of capital, bad debt andcredit risk for market participants; it is a fundamental aspect of theAES. Payments are collected through integration with third party paymentbanking systems and can be managed by customers in the Energy NetCustomer Portal GUI. A meter data aggregator allows entities to functionas intermediary between load serving entity or to share data to theTDSP, and is provided with the platform. Also, payment to customers maybe provided for their data to facilitate transactions through the EnergyNet Customer Portal GUI.

FIG. 34 illustrates a GUI screen shot for an embodiment of the presentinvention showing a Select a Billing Option interactive GUI providingalternative payment options that are optimized to provide lowest ratesfor AES, including Billing Source for making electronic payments withcredit card(s) and/or financial or bank accounts, including adding NewBilling Source. FIG. 35 illustrates another GUI screen shot showingEnergyNet App dashboard view for completing AES plan enrollment andshowing Recommend Upgrades options for interactive selection.

FIG. 36 illustrates another GUI screen shot showing EnergyNet App viewfor an AES financial summary for a building as illustrated in the priorfigures associated with FIG. 27 for a commercial building. FIG. 37illustrates another GUI screen shot showing EnergyNet App view for anAES financial summary with additional information relating to FIG. 36 .This additional information includes electric daily overview, electricusage history, account summary, and recommendations and offers.

FIG. 38 illustrates another GUI screen shot showing EnergyNet Appdashboard view for REPs for AES participation, including at least apartial ledger view. Information, such as sellers, buyers, rates,contracts, fuel types, and value, is listed for each transaction. Akilowatt packet (KWP) settlement timeline is also provided.

FIG. 39 illustrates another GUI screen shot showing EnergyNet Appdashboard view for a featured App for anonymous comparison of electricalenergy usage within a predetermined geographic area, as well as otherApps, for selection for an account and/or user.

FIGS. 40-43 illustrate GUI screen shots for a mobile smartphone App forelectric vehicle (EV) charging. FIG. 40 relates to finding a station andincludes a GPS-based map and current location of the EV App user. ThisApp is operable to locate and reserve a station near you now, in advanceor on your GPS itinerary, and provide target marketing based on userprofile and priority. A “green” App is for people focusing onrecharging. An “urban” App is for people focused on reserved parking. A“healthy” app is for people focused on shopping. FIG. 41 relates toreserving a station and includes a blow-out section from a GPS-basedmap. Information such as availability, fees, recharge strength,amenities, and nearby services, is provides. Users may book reservationin advanced, or pre-purchase one time or with subscription. FIG. 42relates to arriving at the station reserved in FIG. 41 . Once arrivingat the reserved station, a user simply parks his car, receives a pushnotification call to action, and purchases via smartphone device or invehicle dash display. New users need to sign up by GPS location, GQ,RFID, Video, or EV charger identification. FIG. 43 relates to dataassociated with the parked and/or charging time for the EV and relatedreserved station of FIG. 41 . Users can view vehicle recharging statusand fees associated, browse offers, order food, and easily top-up orextend reservation. Discounts and parking validation is automatic bylocal retailers and marketers. Users can view their vehicles throughvideo security monitoring while enjoying free WiFi videos and games.

The account, consumer, and/or user profile(s) preferably includes aunique user identifier or identification, such as, by way of example andnot limitation, a username and password. Further information ispreferably provided, including an account identifier, user financialaccount information, utility and/or market participant accountinformation, geodetic information such as by way of example and notlimitation a smartphone location identifier (such as GPS-based locationinformation, RFID, and/or near-field communication identifier), which ispreferably communicated wirelessly over network-based communication tothe server computer and/or processor with memory associated with theaccount for advanced energy settlements, and/or communicated with userof optical bar code, QR code, Digital Radio, Radio FrequencyIdentification, Optical Pattern Matching, etc. Additional informationmay optionally be associated and/or stored with the consumer profile,and communicated via the network, including historical data relating toenergy consumption, status, supply systems (by way of example and notlimitation, back-up power supply, generator(s), battery, alternativeenergy such as solar, wind, etc., smartphone transactions relating toenergy-affected activities, history of purchases made for productsand/or services, history of offers and responses made for productsand/or services, and combinations thereof. At least one message includedwith the GUI preferably includes information about electric power supplypricing and corresponding plan alternatives associated with advancedenergy settlements; additional advertising and offers for productsand/or services may be provided via the GUI based upon the correspondingprofile for the user and/or account, opt-in/opt-out inputs, andcombinations thereof. Preferably, market pricing conditions via acustomer profile that can be loaded to a computer, smart phone, tablet,or any web-enabled appliance for accepting or modifying a profile ormoreover a profile that automated controls based upon previouslyselected economic messages. In a further embodiment, energy consumptionpatterns within active grid elements profiles could be used to identifyopportunities for up selling, down selling, or cross selling. Theseopportunities may be determined by the power utility or marketparticipant, REP, and/or by affiliates, partners, or advertisers. Datafrom active grid elements profiles associated with the user and/oraccount (including historical data, real-time data, and/or projected orpredicted future data) may be used to provide insights on inefficientdevices, defective devices, or devices that require updating to meetcurrent standards, and/or products and services corresponding orcomplementary to the active grid elements or the user/account. Activegrid elements profiles data, individually or collectively (orselectively) in the aggregate, performance and/or participation, actionsor activities, may also be used to identify related power gridparticipation opportunities. Data from consumer purchase and marketingactivities may be used to provide insights on inefficient merchants orservice providers.

FIG. 44 provides a diagram of the functions of the advanced EnergyNetplatform in the present invention. The platform includes a privateelastic cloud providing Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP)security, provisioning, scalability, payment, auditing, analytics, rulesengines, workflows, and event detection. The advanced EnergyNet platformconnects a network of power and various EnergyNet Applications. Gridelements are connected to the network of power via various communicationprotocols over private networks, utility & telecommunication networks,3G, 4G LTE mobile networks, and/or copper & fiber broadband. Third partySOA is developed by different grid service providers and/or solutionstack vendors for different EnergyNet Applications, for example but notlimited to energy settlement, market place storefront, monitoring andcontrol, consumer engagement. Grid elements include but not limited tomicrogrids for critical infrastructure, commercial and/or industrialbuildings, electric vehicles, residential consumers, and distributiongenerations. The communication protocols include but not limited toMODBUS Serial, DNP3, Ethernet, OpenADR SEP, BLE, WiFi, EmergingStandards V2G, OpenADR 2b, ZigBee SEP, OpenADR CIM, DERMS, SEP, OpenADR,ICCP CIM. Meanwhile, grid element OEM can provide new grid elements tobe connected to the network of power through new network providers. Thethird party SOA enables grid service providers and/or solution stackvendors to provide third party service for the EnergyNet applications.Grid service providers and/or solution stack vendors include but notlimited to structured markets, financial services, market participants,independent power, wholesale aggregators, distributed utilities, retailutilities, service & Install Crews, Grid Element OEMs, powerconsultants, critical infrastructure management. The third party serviceincludes day ahead, real time and spot market pricing, AutomatedClearing House (ACH) routing, settlement float, tariffs, DR signaling,adoption, IoT behavior, performance, reliability, etc. Meanwhile, newapplication provider can added new applications to the platform.

By way of example and not limitation, the systems and methods of theadvanced energy settlement platform are operable for the design,specification, construction, management, and advanced energy settlementwith real-time or near-real-time market rates for electrical activitiesof a data center or a microgrid. GUI, icons, and/or visualrepresentations or symbols of grid elements (Grid Element Icons - GEIs)are provided by the system and methods of the present invention, andassociated with corresponding data for each of the grid elements storedin a grid element library or virtual or digital catalog. The gridelement data may be provided by corresponding grid element suppliers,equipment manufacturers, distributors, historical data from user /account (including but not limited to grid element purchases,acquisitions, grid element activations for registration with theelectric power grid, etc.), publicly available data from the internet,proprietary data, and/or custom-generated data. Preferably, the GUIs areselectable by a remote user on a computer having a display andinteractive graphic user interface for making a digital design for adata center. The GUIs may be click-selected and/or by drag-and-dropselection from the grid element library to the design layout orschematic diagram, as illustrated on FIG. 19 .

In one embodiment, an EnergyNet Grid Element Photo Capture applicationis provided by the advanced EnergyNet Platform. Field technicians areresponsible for capturing Microgrid and DER information as part of asite survey or energy assessment. EnergyNet streamlines this process bytaking advantage of the geo location and camera capabilities of modernsmartphones. All mobile field captured information is immediatelyavailable to the back office support team.

FIG. 45 is a screenshot for the EnergyNet Grid Element Photo Captureapplication. Field technicians install this application on any modernsmartphone platform including iOS and Android. Professional ruggedizeddevices can be pre-provisioned and shipped to field technicians, orfield technicians can use their own commodity equipment available overthe counter.

FIG. 46 is another screenshot of the EnergyNet Grid Element PhotoCapture application. A field technician launches the application for thefirst time, a dialogue window pops out asking “allow“GridElementCaputre″ to access your location even when you are not usingthe app?” and reminding “we require your location to geotag yourimages.” The filed technician approves the application to record and/orgeotag pictures.

FIG. 47 is another screenshot of the EnergyNet Grid Element PhotoCapture application. A field technician authenticates via single sign-inwith cloud service, such as google, or enterprise service, such asActive Directory or SAP.

FIG. 48 is another screenshot for the EnergyNet Grid Element PhotoCapture application. The primary function of the application is to takepictures of grid elements, meters, infrastructure, and power billinvoices. The video camera on the device instantly activates and theview finder displays the object the video camera is pointed at. Thefield technician presses the “Take Photo” button to capture an image ofthe object.

FIG. 49 is another screenshot for the EnergyNet Grid Element PhotoCapture application. After taking the image, the field technician isprompted to tag the content with a drop-down list of selections,free-form text, and optical character recognition (OCR) review andapproval. For example, OCR can be used to automatically detect metermanufacturer brand information, face place data, or LCD real-time datapoints.

FIG. 50 is another screenshot for the EnergyNet Grid Element PhotoCapture application. After the image is tagged, the user presses the“Submit Grid Element” button. The image, tagging, description, location,geoTag are all sent to the server side.

The active grid elements within an electric power grid (or off the gridin alternative embodiments) operate to receive information automaticallythrough a plurality of methods utilizing IP-based communications methodsand web based devices such as in car computers, smart phones, computers,text messages, paging messages, or even voice response units or livecustomer service agents. Under a real time scenario, active gridelements could dynamically “Opt In” to a pre-determined profile or “OptOut” or more importantly change the profile dynamically through theEnergy Net Customer Portal GUI to take advantage of real time marketpricing of electricity being sold by the utility, market participant,REP or any entity authorized to buy, sell and trade electric commodityor demand response products on behalf of the owner. Control activityincluding messaging for changing account and/or grid element settings,profile, functionality, and combinations thereof is also provided;analytics are included as well. Event-based messaging is also provided.In one embodiment, electric power is supplied through non-islandedmicrogrid or cogeneration. The settlement is independent of utility.Transformers are functioning like diodes; current flowing through thebranch is stopped. The advanced EnergyNet settlement platform matchesload and supply as long as not exceeding limitations of the leg. Theflow of power is stopped that is being measured by utility revenue gridmeter by TDSP. In another embodiment, still with utility connectedmicrogrid, but the advanced EnergyNet settlement platform can runbilateral transaction that is settled as described herein within. AddFERC Order No. 2003 and No. 2006 are incorporate by reference inentirety herein. The systems and methods of the present inventionfurther provide for analyzing the control activity, responses to thecontrols (for example like Google adwords so that when a marketingmessage is provided, then there is compensation for the messaging likeGoogle adwords), e.g., least cost provider for recharging mobileelectric power storage and/or EVs; whoever plugs in also is preferablyconnected to the financial settlement network associated with the mobileapp and/or charging terminal, which may further include a marketingdatabase, so that as the consumer is reviewing possible opportunities.The system includes AES messaging and/or payment to clear the messagesand/or data packet transmission, and for delivering the marketingmessage, and the analytics over the marketing message including but notlimited to open rate, response rate, referral rate, purchase conversionrate.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the EV app and GUI providefor targeted mobile and in-car advertising to the user or consumer basedupon the consumer profile, in particular where the consumer hasauthorized information to be shared or used for purposes other than forEV charging at any given time.

While the foregoing description of preferred embodiments illustrates theapplications for EVs as automobiles, the present invention furtherincludes other EV applications, including but not limited to trucks,transport vehicles, boats and boat marinas, and the like, and mobilebattery charging for portable storage of electric power. Also, thepresent invention for EV automobiles applies to private residence andprivate parking facilities, as well as fixed and temporary public EVcharging including but not limited to hotels, public parking slips orspots, public parking in garage settings, corporate, event venues,temporary parking, overflow parking, etc.

Certain modifications and improvements will occur to those skilled inthe art upon a reading of the foregoing description. By way of example,communications alternatives will be understood to be covered under thepresent invention. As an example but not limitation, 5G communicationmay be used for messaging in the systems and methods of advanced energysettlements in an electric power grid in the present invention. Theabove-mentioned examples are provided to serve the purpose of clarifyingthe aspects of the invention and it will be apparent to one skilled inthe art that they do not serve to limit the scope of the invention. Allmodifications and improvements have been deleted herein for the sake ofconciseness and readability but are properly within the scope of thepresent invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for energy settlements in an electric power grid, comprising: providing an energy settlement platform comprising at least one server computer operable for communication over a network with at least one electric vehicle and at least one electric vehicle charging station; the energy settlement platform aggregating power consumption data from the at least one electric vehicle and aggregating revenue grade power consumption data from at least one revenue grade meter; wherein each of the at least one revenue grade meter is attached to the at least one electric vehicle and/or the at least one electric vehicle charging station; the energy settlement platform aggregating revenue grade equivalent power consumption data, wherein the revenue grade equivalent power consumption data includes revenue grade metrology as required by a utility or a governing entity for management and real-time assessments of energy charges on the electric power grid; the at least one electric vehicle charging station transmitting payment confirmation messages to the at least one electric vehicle in real time, wherein the payment confirmation messages include an amount of charge received and/or an amount of payment required for at least one charging session; and the energy settlement platform assessing distributed energy charges for the at least one electric vehicle based on charging activity at the least one electric vehicle charging station.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the energy settlement platform mapping the real-time assessments to corresponding energy agreements.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of assessing distributed energy charges is initiated via an interface on the at least one electric vehicle charging station.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the power consumption data is aggregated to build a real-time energy consumption profile of the consumption of the at least one electric vehicle, wherein the power consumption data is comprised of the real-time assessments.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the energy settlement platform delivering a marketing message to an account associated with the at least one electric vehicle, wherein the marketing message provides analytics for at least one of an open rate, a response rate, a referral rate, and/or a purchase conversion rate for charging the at least one electric vehicle.
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the energy settlement platform underpinning an energy assessment process between the energy retailer, the retail energy provider, and/or the market participant and the at least one electric vehicle based on the real-time assessments.
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an interactive interface for different participants in the real-time assessments, wherein the interactive interface is operable to send a message, an advertisement, electric vehicle charging pricing information, and/or an alternative plan for the real-time assessments.
 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a mobile application program for the real-time assessments, wherein the mobile application program contains a user profile for at least one energy customer, wherein the user profile includes the ability to adjust a charging plan and/or a settlement plan for the at least one electric vehicle.
 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the energy settlement platform aggregating energy consumption for the at least one electric vehicle over a time period.
 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing intelligent analytics for the at least one electric vehicle and/or the at least one electric vehicle charging station.
 11. A system for energy settlements in electric power grid, comprising: an energy settlement platform in network communication with at least one electric vehicle and at least one electric vehicle charging station; wherein the energy settlement platform comprises interfaces and at least one server computer, wherein the energy settlement platform is operable to: aggregate power consumption data from the at least one electric vehicle; aggregate corresponding revenue grade power consumption data from the at least one electric vehicle; generate real-time assessments of power consumption based on the power consumption data received via Internet Protocol (IP)-based metering in real time; aggregate for assessment energy charges for the at least one electric vehicle based on the real-time assessments; and wherein the energy settlement platform communicates with the at least one electric vehicle charging station via an advanced meter infrastructure (AMI).
 12. The system of claim 11, wherein interconnection points and/or geodetic attachment points determine price for the real-time assessments.
 13. The system of claim 11, wherein energy agreements provide for energy settlement and/or corresponding market based financial settlement for power consumption for the at least one electric vehicle.
 14. The system of claim 11, wherein the energy settlement platform is further operable to provide event detection, purchasing and settlements, profiling analytics, and/or modeling and forecasting.
 15. The system of claim 11, further comprising providing a mobile application program for the real-time assessments, wherein the mobile application program contains a user profile for at least one energy customer, wherein the user profile includes at least one of an account identifier, user financial account information, market participant account information, geodetic information, historical energy consumption data, customer status, purchase history, and/or an offer and response history.
 16. The system of claim 11, wherein the energy settlement platform receives at least one reservation message, designating a time and/or a location for charging the at least one electric vehicle.
 17. The system of claim 11, wherein the energy settlement platform is further operable to map the real-time assessments to corresponding energy agreements; to calculate a cost or pricing of each of the real-time assessments, and to summate at least one customer balance from the real-time assessments during a selected period of time.
 18. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one customer balance for the real-time assessment of energy consumed by the at least one electric vehicle is transmitted to at least one user device in real time.
 19. A method for energy settlements in an electric power grid, comprising: providing an energy settlement platform comprising at least one server computer operable for communication over a network with at least one electric vehicle charging station; the energy settlement platform aggregating power consumption data from the at least one electric vehicle charging station and aggregating revenue grade power consumption data from at least one revenue grade meter; wherein each of the at least one revenue grade meter is attached to the at least one electric vehicle charging station; the energy settlement platform aggregating revenue grade equivalent power consumption data, wherein the revenue grade equivalent power consumption data includes revenue grade metrology as required by a utility or a governing entity for management and real-time assessments of energy charges on the electric power grid; at least one market participant transmitting payment confirmation messages to a user account associated with the at least one electric vehicle charging station in real time, wherein the payment confirmation messages include an amount of charge received and/or an amount of payment required for at least one charging session; and the energy settlement platform assessing distributed energy charges for the at least one electric vehicle charging station based on charging activity by at least one electric vehicle.
 20. A system for energy settlements in electric power grid, comprising: an energy settlement platform in network communication with at least one electric vehicle charging station; wherein the energy settlement platform comprises interfaces and at least one server computer, wherein the energy settlement platform is operable to: aggregate power consumption data from the at least one electric vehicle charging station; aggregate corresponding revenue grade power consumption data from the at least one electric vehicle charging station; generate real-time assessments of power consumption based on the power consumption data received via Internet Protocol (IP)-based metering in real time; aggregate for assessment energy charges for the at least one electric vehicle charging station based on the real-time assessments; and wherein the energy settlement platform communicates with the at least one electric vehicle charging station via an advanced meter infrastructure (AMI). 